Visitor
by BelladonnaRue
Summary: Briseis comes back to Achilles after Priam brings her home.
1. Default Chapter

Visitor

A story of Troy By BelladonnaRue

Summary: Briseis goes back to Achilles the after she leaves with Priam.

Disclaimer: I don't own Troy or Achilles but Gods how I wish I did. I write only for fun, not for profit.

Author's Note: Please review. I have not been writing long, this is only my second published story, so please be kind. Yes, I know that this is completely inaccurate but since when is Hollywood ever historically accurate? This is also the first time I have ever attempted a love scene, so let me know how I can improve. Thanks and I hope you enjoy!

* * *

She knew that this was wrong. She knew she was betraying her family, her country, and her vows to the Gods. She knew but she didn't care. She had to see him again. She hadn't even said goodbye to him. He apologized for hurting her, at least in a way. The man who had saved her twice from a much darker fate. The man who had touched her and made her body come alive under his hands. The man who had watched her walk away with her uncle and she had not said one word. The tunnel she walked through seemed never ending and her body was humming in anticipation of the encounter she would soon have. She thought back on the last few hours and her decision to sneak from the palace in the dead of night to visit the sworn enemy of her country.

She had come back to the palace with the King and was joyously welcomed by Paris and the others. She knew she should be relieved that she was safe in the palace, safe behind the indestructible walls of Troy, but she was not. She had felt safe in Achilles' arms. She had hidden her true feelings behind a smile and no one seemed to notice how often she looked out the window toward the beach.

Helen came up to her, as she stood gazing out to the ocean and the beach just beyond the walls. "Are you well, Briseis? You look troubled." Her blue gaze seemed to notice everything.

Briseis had liked Helen the moment she had met her. She knew the other woman felt as though this war was her fault and there was nothing she could do. "Hmm? Yes I'm fine, just, I don't know, weary." Briseis looked away from that all seeing gaze.

"Weary? I do not think that is what troubles you this evening. You were with Achilles, were you not?" At the sound of his name, Briseis' eyes snapped up to Helen's. "Ah, I thought so." She looked saddened and pleased at the same time.

"What? I don't know what you're talking of. This has nothing to do with Achilles." Even to her own ears, she sounded weak, and she knew Helen would not let this pass. Helen just looked at her, her disconcertingly blue gaze boring into Briseis.

"Oh? And here I thought you were in love with him." She said these words with such calm that Briseis turned to her in shock, no longer trying to lie.

"How did you know?"

"You look like a woman in love." She was smiling now, and Briseis smiled weakly back. "Don't look so upset, Briseis. I am sure no one else notices. Come, let us talk elsewhere." She led Briseis to a small alcove off the main hall. It was quiet and private. "So, do you wish to tell someone about it?"

"Oh, Helen!" She cried, "How can I love him? He killed Hector. He has killed hundreds of Trojans. He will kill hundreds more! How can you not hate me for this?" She was weeping softly and Helen took her into her arms.

"Hush. Of all people, I should know that you can't help whom you fall in love with. If I had a choice, I would never have chosen to love the enemy of my husband and start this war. However, I had no choice, just as you have none. I love Paris so much that it hurts. I would die for him. But I didn't choose for it to be so." She too had tears in her eyes.

Briseis looked at her, love and respect shining in her eyes. "You are truly a princess of Troy. I am glad that you have come to us. No matter what happens I will always be glad." The two women descended into silence, each quietly weeping as they held each other.

Briseis was the first to break the silence. "I will never see him again. At least Paris is here with you. Achilles knows that he will die soon and I never said goodbye to him." She whispered all of this in to Helen's golden hair.

Helen pulled away, eyes big and excited. "You must go to him. Tomorrow night."

"What? No, I cannot, I…What about my family? I cannot betray them. And Apollo, I have taken vows to remain a virgin to him." She stood and was frantically pacing back and forth. This was utter lunacy, this was treason this was…what she wanted more than anything in the world. "How would I get to him, I cannot pass through the entire camp!"

"Come, my dear. Your family wants you to be happy, they love you. You must decide which is more important, stay here and fret yourself to nothing because you would anger your family, or follow your heart to him? The same for Apollo. Do you not think he understands the mortal heart? As for reaching Achilles, I am sure we can think of something."

Briseis turned to her sharply. "You are willing to help me? To go to the man who killed your husband's brother," she asked, incredulously.

"I do this not to help Achilles, but to help you. I know the pain of forbidden love."

"Thank so very much, sweet Helen. I cannot repay you."

"Nor should you. Come, we have much to do."

* * *

So that was how she came to be sneaking out of the palace in the middle of the night. Helen had told her of a tunnel that would take her to a cave not far from Achilles tent. 'I must be nearing the end. I have been walking forever' she thought. Briseis was desperately trying not to think about what she was doing, or what would happen if she were discovered, by either the Greeks or her own people. It would not be pleasant. Finally, she saw light filtering through the darkness that surrounded her. Deciding she could see with out the aide of her torch, she carefully extinguished it and hid it in a place where she could find it for her return journey.

She took a deep breath as she steeped out of the cave. She didn't exactly know where Achilles' tent was but she hoped it wouldn't be too hard to find. As it was, she found his tent with little difficulty, seeing only two guards she easily avoided. This was the hard part. She was tempted to turn and run back to the cave, back to the palace, back to home, but a voice from inside stopped her before she moved.

"Who's there?" A shiver raced through her body at the sound of his gruff voice. With another deep breath, she squared her shoulders and pushed aside the flaps of his door. He could not see her face because of the cloak she wore, but she could see him. He sat on his bed skins, not bothering to rise for his mysterious visitor. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. "Who are you? Tell before you lose your chance."

Briseis felt as though her heart would explode as she drew away her hood "Should I be afraid of you now?" He stared at her in utter shock and disbelief, then his face lost all emotion.

"Why are you here?" His voice was oddly toneless. She had never heard him sound like that. Before she could answer, he spoke again, "Were you sent here by you Uncle?" All at once, she understood. He thought that she…she couldn't believe he would think that of her. Suddenly she was angry with him.

"No." Her voice matched his in coldness and lack of emotion. "I was not sent as a whore for you."

He realized her anger, and her confusion, but he couldn't understand why he was here. Just her presence was muddling his mind. "Why are you here?" He asked again. He walked toward her and tilted her chin with one finger. He forced her eyes to meet his.

"I…I…" Her body was aching for him to touch her, she couldn't think straight. 'Why was she here?' "I had to be with you."

Briseis thought the silence that followed her explanation would go on forever. He just stood there staring into her eyes. Her body was on fire, her mind spinning beyond her control. Suddenly Achilles grabbed her hard, bring his mouth down on her with such force her knees gave way. His strong arms held her tightly against his chest as his mouth ravaged hers. This kiss was different from the others he had given her. This one was hard, desperate, filled with longing. His tongue invaded her mouth savagely, branding her as his own. She matched his passion, clinging to him as though he were the only thing left in the world. In a way he was.

He pulled away, breathing hard. "You should not have come here, Briseis." he whispered against her hair, savoring the smell of her as he did so.

What? He didn't want her? He could not kiss her like that, leave her burning like that, and then tell her to go home. He saw her confusion in her eyes, but she spoke before he had a chance to. "Do you not want me?"

She thought he did not want her? He felt as though his body were of fire, burning from the inside out for her. He could not keep his mind from her lips as she spoke. It was taking all of his self-control not to filing her to the ground and ravage her like a whore. "By the Gods, Briseis, I burn for you." His voice was not completely steady, but he continued on. She had to understand. He could not hurt her more then he had already done. "Briseis, you cannot be here. Do you know what will happen if your people find that you have snuck off into the darkness to come to me?"

"I know what will happen. I don't care. I have already betrayed my people by coming at all. What difference does it make now if I stay?"

He closed his eyes at her words. 'What difference indeed! It would make a difference to him. He did not know if he could let her walk out of his tent, his life, in the morning. He would try to make her see reason one more time, no matter how much it pained him. She did not need to be involved with him, it could only end with her suffering and he would do anything to prevent that from happening. Even deny himself. "Briseis, do you know what I have done? Yesterday, I killed your cousin. I dragged his body through the dust in front of his father, his wife, his son. I have killed hundreds of your countrymen."

She stood tall and proud before him. "I know what you have done. They have told me all of the gruesome details and still I am here. If you do not want me, say so and I shall leave you. Tell me you want me to leave." She eyes were blazing with the same strength that had enraptured him when he had first seen her. It was that strength that would be his undoing. They both knew he could tell her no such thing. He stared at her in silence. This time it was she who initiated their kiss. Pressing her body to his, she felt his surrender.

He gathered her into his arms, never breaking their kiss, and laid down on his bed skins. This was what she had been craving, what her body had been aching for. She knew in this moment that she would never regret her decision to come to him, no matter what the dawn would bring. His hands were everywhere at once, each touch starting fires under her skin. He removed her thin shift with swiftness and she gasped as she felt the cool rush of air. She was not cold for long, however. His hands stroked her breasts as he rained kisses across her face and down her neck. Then his mouth took the place of his hands and Briseis cried out, unable to control her emotions. His hands moved down her body to stroke the very center of her. She was loosing her mind, the sensations were more then she could handle. She needed him inside her now, needed to be complete with him right this very moment. "Achilles…please…"

Her moans undid him. Swiftly, he slid over her, positioning himself, then he was home. They both gasped at the sensation that neither had thought they would ever feel again. "Oh, Gods! Briseis…" She moaned incoherently in response. They moved together, building to their release. Achilles kissed her hard as she came, trying to swallow her cries. He followed her moments later, sinking into the sweet relief of her flesh.

It was a long time before either of them moved, but the thought that he must be crushing his lover penetrated Achilles' foggy brain. He rolled over, taking her with him. She was glad that his hold on her did not loosen. She would not let him go a moment before she had to. "I am glad that you came." Achilles' voice broke the quiet darkness around them. "So am I."

They laid together in silence for a while before Achilles spoke again, "There are still a few hours until dawn…"

"Hmm. So there are. What shall we do?" She turned to him with a smile, all thoughts of tomorrow gone from her mind.

He returned her wolfish grin, "I'm sure we can think of something." He kissed her again before she had a chance to respond.

* * *

Dawn came too soon for the lovers inside the tent. Briseis knew she had to go, but it was harder then she had thought it would be to leave him again. They stood together at the entrance to her cave, staring at each other in silence. "Can you come again?" Achilles could not bear the thought of never seeing her again.

"I can try." She was on the verge of tears. "Oh, Achilles, I can't leave you" She threw her arms around him and clung to him as though she would never let go.

"Briseis, you must. You know you must. You must go home to the king and your family and you people." He kissed the top of her head as he held her. "Just promise me that you will come back." His voice was a whisper.

"I promise, Achilles. I promise." She kissed him then, desperate and wild.

After a long moment, he pulled away. "Go now or I will never let you go. Go"

She nodded, unable to speak and then she turned and ran. She ran all the way back to the palace. It was not until she reached the safety of her room did she allow herself to cry.

* * *

So, That's it folks, let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Visitor - Chapter 2

Summary: Briseis goes back to Achilles after she leaves with Priam.

Disclaimer: I don't own Troy or Achilles but Gods how I wish I did. (Maybe just Brad Pitt!) I write only for fun, not for profit.

Author's Note: This was originally intended to be a one-shot, but I have had so much support for me to continue, so who am I to argue with the people? Here goes. Let me know what you think, please. Enjoy.

P.S.: I just saw the movie again, so there are some things that I had forgotten to mention in the first chapter that are included in this one.

* * *

Briseis spent the day locked in her room, despite the frequent prodding of her family. Paris came to visit her a number of time but each time she sent him away. Sometime after noon, a timid knock sounded at her door. "Paris, go away. I've told you before, I just want to rest." She was in no mood for anymore of his well-meaning interruptions.

"It's not Paris, Briseis. It's me."

Briseis was out of bed and to the door immediately. She swung the door wide to reveal Helen on the other side. "Oh, Helen, I'm glad that you're here." She pulled the other woman into her room and locked the door behind her. The last thing Briseis wanted was anyone listening to their conversation.

"Tell me what happened, child." Briseis was not offended at the endearment, indeed it felt right. Briseis suddenly felt very small and vulnerable. She lay down with her head in the other women's lap, feeling comforted and much less alone then she had moments before.

As Helen stroked her hair, Briseis told her the whole story, leaving nothing out. She laughed as she remembered the look on Achilles face when she first appeared, blushed as she remembered what he made her feel, and cried as she told Helen what it had felt like to leave him in the morning. "I promised him that I would come back. I promised, but how can I?" She was sobbing now, harsh painful sobs that racked her body.

Helen's heart broke as she held her younger friend in her arms. "Shhh. It's okay; it's going to be okay." She murmured meaningless words that she hoped would provide some comfort. But in all honesty, what could she possibly say to make the pain of a broken love better? "Briseis, listen to me. Do you want to go back to him?" Helen held the other woman at arms length, eyes boring into hers.

"Of course I do! More than anything." She was looking to Helen with hope shining in her eyes. "Helen, you must help me go to him."

"Of course I will help you." Helen smiled at the expression on Briseis' face. She looked as though all of her dreams had come true, but then again perhaps they had.

"Thank you, Helen." Briseis threw her arms around her again. "I have always wanted a sister."

Helen's eyes burned with tears. So had she.

They sat and talked for a long time, plotting the best way to get to the Greek camp. "You need to leave your room sometime today. Paris and the king are very worried about you already. If you come out for dinner, they will most likely leave you be for the night."

"Yes, you're right. I just don't know if I can face them. How can I sit across from Andromache and offer her wine when I am sneaking off to the bed of the man who killed her husband."

"I know, but you must be strong. You are following your heart. Perhaps after some time she will understand."

"I hope so. I hate the thought that I am betraying my family."

Just then a knock sounded at her door. "Briseis, it's me, Paris. I've come to see if you are doing better. Please do not turn me away this time." His voice was plaintive through the door.

Helen opened it, much to the surprise of her husband on the other side. "Hello, Husband."

"Helen, I didn't know that you were here."

"She heard that I was unwell and came to visit me. I am glad for her company." Briseis smiled at her friend, and then turned back to her cousin. "Forgive me, Cousin, for my behavior today."

"Think nothing of it, Cousin. You were held captive for months, in the tent of that barbarian. No one expects you to be as you were before." Helen winced and Briseis clenched her jaw in an effort not to say anything. Paris continued on, oblivious. "I am glad that my wife has been able comfort you in anyway."

"As am I, Paris. She is my sister."

Paris smiled widely; he was so glad that not everyone seemed to blame her for this war. "Thank you, Briseis. And thank you, dear wife, for the return of my cousin's good spirits." He hugged his cousin and kissed his wife, and then he was gone.

Silenced reigned for a moment as they thought about what he had said. "He's not, you know." Briseis' whisper ended the silence.

"Who is not what?"

"Achilles. He is not a barbarian."

"Of course he isn't. I know that." Briseis attempted a brave smile.

"I should ready myself for dinner. Will you stay with me, Sister?"

Helen smiled at the endearment. "Of course, Briseis. And remember, they do not know the truth about Achilles, only you do. You must remember that."

Briseis nodded silently. She wondered what would happen if her uncle insulted Achilles at the dinner table. She imagined what would happened if she suddenly began to defend him, and her stomach churned. Best not to think of that now. Besides, she knew Helen was right. She was the only one who knew the real Achilles, the man behind the legend.

* * *

Dinner was a long and painful affair. Everyone in the dinning hall stared at her as though she was some attraction on display. They whispered about her as she passed by and conversations stopped when she walked into a room. When they were not whispering, they were talking of the barbaric Greeks and their evil, disgusting, god-forsaken champion, Achilles. All through dinner, Briseis thought that she would be sick. The only thing that kept her from bolting was Helen's sobering presence at her side. She held Briseis' hand under the table, talked to her in low whispers noon else could hear when she thought Briseis might lose it, and throughout the entire night, not once did she leave her side.

Briseis didn't know what she would have done without her. The thought of facing the stares and whispers alone was terrifying. She was also tired of everyone asking if she was alright, of saying 'Oh, you poor thing to be kept by such a brute as Achilles'. She felt as though she were going to scream. Despite all those people, however, it was the silence of one person that disquieted her the most. Priam said nothing all evening, only kept sending her searching glances across the table. She knew he was aware that something had happened. He had seen her leaving Achilles, seen the way she held his hand. He had seen him give her the necklace of shells, the necklace she was wearing now.

Briseis stood at the tall window of the palace, savoring a precious moment of solitude. She was trying to sort out her jumbled thoughts. Should she go to see Achilles again? How could she? She would be betraying her family, her people, her God. Things were so much simpler when she was Apollo's virgin priestess. So much simpler and so much duller. She felt like she had never lived before she met Achilles, like she walked as if asleep, until the touch of that one warrior opened her eyes. She sighed, her gaze on the moon, but her mind on the beach. She would go to him. She owed that to herself.

* * *

When she had walked down this tunnel the first time, her mind was fluttering with thoughts of how this was wrong, of how this was a betrayal. Tonight, however, her mind was at peace. Briseis felt strangely calm, as though the little voice inside her head and given up and bowed to the inevitable. Her mind was clear, she was focused on only one thing; her lover at the end of the tunnel. Her lover. Her lover. The thought no longer caused a blush to bloom, but instead a feeling of pride welled in her chest. He was hers. She was his. Tonight they would be together.

She was so caught up in her musings that she failed to hear the noises around the corner. Suddenly, a hand reached covered her mouth and a strong arm held her still. A gravelly voice, one that sounded vaguely familiar, rasped in her ear. "My lady, I will not hurt you. I was sent to give you passage to my lord."

When she stilled, the arms slowly released her. She turned to meet the startling eyes of Achilles' lieutenant. "Forgive me, my lady. I did not mean to startle you."

"Really? And just what did you expect when you grabbed me in a darkened tunnel?" Briseis' terror had turned to anger. How dare this man scare her like he had. And why had Achilles no come for her himself if he had been worried?

"I apologize, Lady. I did not want you to alert any of the guards. The king is aware that there is a tunnel of some kind in this area, though they do not know of it yet. They have posted watch since last night. My lord sent me to ensure you would have no issues with the soldiers." He looked as though he was truly distraught at the thought that he had caused her harm.

Briseis looked at him in silence for a long minute before she nodded. She had no choice but to trust this man, it seemed. She knew that his loyalty to Achilles was unquestionable, but she also remembered that he was the one who had taken her from the temple and given him to Achilles. "Let us go then."

"Wait, my lady. You must put this on to avoid stares." He held out a soldier's cloak that would cover all of her. As long as no one was very close, she would pass as a young soldier.

He led them in a roundabout route through the camp and the grounds around it. It was quite a bit longer than she had gone the previous night and without Eudorus to guide her, she surely would have gotten lost or captured. Finally, she sighted the black tent that belonged to Achilles.

Before she could run to it, a heavy hand came down hard on her shoulder. "Come on lad. You had best make this quick. My lord has said he does not want to be disturbed."

She turned to question the man at her side, but he shook his head minutely. He led her to the tent and gestured for him to precede her inside. In the dim light of his fire, she saw him rise to greet her, a rare expression of pleasure crossing his features. "Briseis." He opened his arms to her.

She ran to him, smiling in pleasure. They stood together, embracing passionately. It wasn't until she heard a throat cleared behind her that she realized that there was another person with them. A man she had never seen before stood with Eudorus at the entranced to the tent, looking enormously uncomfortable.

Achilles pulled away but kept an arm around her waist. "Briseis this is Alekos. He is going to help us." She nodded at him, somewhat confused. "And I know that you have already met Eudorus." He was smiling wickedly now. He too remembered how she had come to his tent.

She glared playfully at him. "Of course." Her face went somber again. "I don't understand. What do you mean they are going to help us?"

Achilles' eyes went hard. "That ass of a king has decided that I need to be watched to make certain I entertain no more midnight visits with enemy kings. He has posted watchers all around my tent and I thought it better if he did not know you were here. Now, give Alekos your cloak and he can leave with Eudorus. They will think he is just some young soldier, come to gain courage from the mighty Achilles."

Briseis sighed. Could nothing be easy for them in their quest to be together? She gave the young man her cloak and she had to admit, from a distance, no one could mistake them.

"Wait outside for a moment, Alekos." Once he was gone, Achilles turned to his lieutenant. "Come for her a half hour before dawn." Eudorus nodded, then he too left.

Achilles' turned to her. "Alone at last. I wasn't sure you'd come."

"I almost didn't. But then I realized that there was nowhere else in the Aegean where I could spend tonight."

He kissed her then, and for a long time no words were spoken. Tonight their love was slow and sweet, not a desperate coupling like the night before. They drank from each other deeply, savoring everything about the other. She almost cried at his tenderness. How could any dare call him a brute when he could kiss her like that, or caress her skin so softly? How could they call him unfeeling when he did things like this to her body, setting it ablaze with desire? "Oh, Achilles! Please! Oh, Gods!" She did know what she was begging for exactly, only knew that she was going to explode at any moment. Achilles didn't respond, only thrust into her faster and faster. "Achilles!" He swallowed the rest of her cries, joining her in her euphoria. He collapsed on top of her, totally spent. Her arms came around him to hold him to her breast and she whispered, "I love you, Achilles."

She knew the moment she said it that it was a stupid thing to say. He froze immediately. How could she love him? No one had ever said that they loved him, no one. He stared at her a long moment, a torrent of emotions in his eyes. "Why? How can you love a man like me?"

She could see in his eyes how much her answer would mean to him so she thought hard about what to say. "I love you because you were prepared to fight twenty of the king's guards for me. I love you because you didn't fight them. You are brave and courageous and you are honorable. You care about why you fight, you do not go charging in on some fool's orders. I love you because you never treated me like a prisoner, you never treated me like a priestess, and you never treated me as a princess. You treat me as though I am the only women in the world."

He kept quiet through her declaration. She looked up at him and saw the tears shinning in his eyes. "Briseis…" His expression was pained.

She knew what he was going to say and realized she didn't need to hear the words. His eyes spoke more clearly then any poetry. "Shhh." She pulled his mouth to hers and they spoke no more until morning.

* * *

Briseis was awakened by Achilles far too soon. She smiled up at him as she stretched languidly. Her blissful state was interrupted by the sight of Eudorus standing at the tent flap. Achilles was already dressed, but she was still nude under the bedclothes.

"Dawn is in a half hour. We must leave." Eudorus was torn between being uncomfortable that he had to interrupt his master and happy that his friend was in such good spirits.

Achilles looked over at her and saw at once her predicament. He smiled. "Do you mind turning your back, Eudorus. Briseis is shy." He laughed out right as both his uninhibited lover and his battle hardened friend blushed.

After she was ready, they faced one another unsure of what to say. "Come again tomorrow." His tine made his words a question instead of an order.

"Nothing could stop me."

"Until then, Briseis." He kissed once, softly, then she was gone.

* * *

I can't believe the support that I have gotten for this story. Please write me a review to let me know wht you liked and what you didn't. Thank for reading and I hope you enjoyed!


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